McNeil Maverick Marching Band
The Award Winning McNeil Maverick Marching Band is a high-school Band. McNeil High School is part of Round Rock ISD which includes High Schools including Round Rock High School, Cedar Ridge High School, Westwood High School, and Stony Point High School. The McNeil Band was founded in 1992 with the founding of the McNeil High School Campus. The McNeil Band also has outstanding success in their Concert Program. This includes consistent sweepstakes awarded at UIL Concert & Sightreading Contests, as well as superior ratings for their Full Orchestras including members of their Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony. Many members of the McNeil Band are members of the TMEA Region, Area, and All-State bands, as well as superior ratings at UIL Solo & Ensemble Contests. The Directors Jason Dimiceli Mr. Dimiceli has taught at McNeil since the Fall of 2004, originally serving as Associate Director. He teaches the Wind Ensemble and Marching Band, and he assists with the Wind Symphony and Concert Band. He also serves on the campus Leadership Team as Fine Arts Department Chair. Prior to coming to McNeil Mr. Dimiceli taught at San Marcos HS and Westfield HS (Spring ISD). Mr. Dimiceli graduated with a degree in Music Studies from The University of Texas at Austin in 2002. Trumpet is his principal instrument and he was fortunate to have studied with the great Raymond Crisara and Dr. Joel Treybig. Mr. Dimiceli also studied privately with Dr. Kevin Sedatole in score study and conducting. He is proud to have graduated from Eisenhower High School in Houston where his directors included Brian Sedatole, Greg Goodman, and John Hinojosa. Some of Mr. Dimiceli’s fondest playing memories are from his time in UT performing ensembles, his two years (1996-97) in the Longhorn Band and in his three years (1997-99) in The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. Away from school Mr. Dimiceli loves to spend time with his beautiful wife, Jennifer, and his lovely daughter,Emily. The Dimicelis reside in Round Rock and Emily is a 7th grade clarinet player at Walsh Middle School. He loves college football, pro football, golf, and Major League Baseball. He also enjoys playing golf, cooking, and reading as much as he can. Ronnie Pruitt Ronnie Pruitt comes to McNeil from Ridgeview MS and Cedar Valley MS. Mr. Pruitt is excited for the opportunity to teach at McNeil and the great staff at the world class campus. Mr. Pruitt has been involved with music education for over 25 years. During that time he has taught all levels of music including middle school, high school and collegiate courses. Ronnie Pruitt is the assistant brass caption head for the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps. He has been part of winning multiple state marching titles in the state of Texas. He is in constant demand as a designer, clinician and adjudicator. Free time is spent cooking and enjoying the outdoors. His wife, Paula, is an educator in the Leander school district. Their daughter, Bailey, attends the University of Alabama. Michael Champagne Mike Champagne is the Assistant Director/Percussion Specialist at McNeil High School, as well as the director of the McNeil Jazz Ensemble. Mike is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, and earned his Bachelor of Music Education/Bachelor of Music Performance degrees from Louisiana State University in 2011. At LSU Mike was a member of the LSU Wind Ensemble, Hamiruge: the LSU Percussion Group, and LSU's marching band: The Golden Band from Tigerland. In 2013, Mike earned his Master of Music in percussion performance at the University of North Texas. While there he was employed as a teaching fellow and was involved with a number of premier ensembles including the UNT Wind Symphony, the UNT Percussion Ensemble, and the UNT 2:00 Steel Band. As a performer, Mike was a set drummer for Theatre Baton Rouge, participated in the 2007 BCS National Championship game with LSU's Tiger Band, and performed internationally with UNT's Percussion Ensemble in Poland and Croatia. Mike has played at PASIC twice, once in 2009 with Hamiruge, and again in 2012 with the UNT 2:00 Steel Band. He also collaborated on professional recordings of Stan Leonard's 'Collage' and the 9th volume of 'Teaching Music through Performance in Band.' Most recently, Mike was featured as a guest artist for Blynn College's annual Night of Percussion. Since 2005, Mike has been employed as a freelance private lesson instructor as well as a marching percussion technician and arranger. He enjoys watching sports (especially LSU football and baseball), running, playing golf, binge-watching Netflix, and playing video games. Chris McCarthy (Colorguard Instructor) Originally from Binghamton, NY, Chris McCarthy relocated to Austin to teach the McNeil Colorguard in the Summer of 2013. Chris not only serves as the Director logistically but, also is a designer and choreographer for the program. In addition to teaching the colorguard, he teaches and choreographs movement to the Maverick Band during the summer and fall marching season. Chris began his marching career in the summer of 2001 at Susquehanna Valley HS in the small town of Conklin, NY. From 2006 to 2011, Chris spent his years performing with Spectrum Winterguard, primarily in the Independent Open class, as well as the A and World Class. He served as Guard Captain in '09, '10 and '11. Chris has also marched with The Syracuse Brigadiers Drum and Bugle Corps from '07 - '08. Since the age of 16, Chris has been on the teaching side of the activity. He has taught every form of the activity including High School, Independent, College and Drum Corps. He has been a director, designer, choreographer and/or consultant for numerous programs such as: Homer HS (NY), Norwich HS (NY), Union Endicott HS (NY), Greater Johnstown HS (NY), White Sabers Drum and Bugle Corps (NY), Laurens HS (NY), New Braunfels HS (TX), Westwood HS (TX), University of Wisconsin - Whitewater (WI) and Spectrum Winterguard (NY). Currently, Chris serves as lead choreographer for ATX Independent Winterguard out of Austin, TX and is also a choreographer and technician at The Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps out of Milwaukee, WI. Outside of the marching activity, Chris enjoys spending time with friends, cooking, reading, traveling and laughing. He is a big fan of Syracuse Orange Basketball and the New York Yankees. You can usually find him frequenting a local coffee shop, hiking, or kayaking. Recent Show History * 2019-2020 ** Fall Show: "1964 the Future is Now" * 2018-2019 ** Fall Show: "Thermo Dynamic" * 2017-2018 ** Fall Show: "Inverted" ** Winterguard (Varsity Show): ** Winterguard (JV): * 2016-2017 ** Fall Show: "The Next Chapter" ** Winterguard (Varsity Show): ** Winterguard (JV): * 2015-2016 ** Fall Show: "Cityscapes" ** Winterguard (Varsity Show): ** Winterguard (JV): * 2014-2015 ** Fall show: "To The Summit" ** Winterguard (Varsity Show): ** Winterguard (JV): * 2013 - 2014 ** Fall Show: "The Garden of the Mind" ** Winterguard (Varsity Show): "The First Step" ** Winterguard (JV): "Black Violin" * 2012 - 2013 ** Fall Show: "Touch" ** Winterguard (Varsity Show): "Esther Williams: Bathing Beauty" ** Winterguard (JV): " Feel Again" * 2011 - 2012 ** Fall Show: "Now I Lay Me" ** Winterguard Show: "Interpretation #2 in Blue" * 2010 - 2011 ** Fall Show: "If I Only Had" ** Winterguard Show: "In the Shadow of Your Heart" * 2009 - 2010 ** Fall Show: "The Passion Within" ** Winterguard Show: "Blackbird" * 2008 - 2009 ** Fall Show: "Made in America" ** Winterguard Show: "Feel the Burn" * 2007 - 2008 ** Fall Show: "Somniphobia" ** Winterguard Show: "Interpretation #1 in E Flat" *'2006 - 2007' **Fall Show: “Saturday Morning Overtures” **Winterguard Show: "Sugar Plum Scary" *'2005 - 2006' **Fall Show: “On The Town” **Winterguard Show: “Kiss” *'2004 - 2005' **Fall Show, “Live From Austin” **Winterguard Show: “Scat Last” *'2003 - 2004' **Fall Show: “Latin Fire” **Winterguard Show: “Little Wing” *'2002 - 2003' **Fall Show: "Pacific Tides" *'2001 - 2002' **Fall Show: "Pyramids" Band Boosters The McNeil Band Booster Association is a non-profit organization recognized by the Round Rock I.S.D. and includes McNeil High School, Cedar Valley Middle School, and Deerpark Middle School. All parents of band students in grades 6-12 are automatically members. The association is organized to provide support for the band programs and activities at these schools. Funds raised during the year benefit all three schools. Our main source of income comes from the concession stands operated during football season. We operate stands for the Middle School games, freshman, junior varsity, and varsity games. External McNeil Band Website Watch the McNeil Drumline on Youtube Watch Saturday Morning Ovetures on Youtube